Hyperextension frame



April 4, 1939. c. H. FORD HYPEREXTENLSION FRAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1938 Iva/e122 CZxucie fifrd' April 4, 1939. c FORD 2,152,734

HYPEREXTENSION FRAME v Filed July 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1'2? E2 14; Q2 1143 Z 7 1 I I 5 Q a I 1 39 65 0 51 33 10 v 57 50 41745.

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Claudia flfrd Patented Apr. 4, 1939 UNITED STATES 2,152,? 34 HYPEREXTENSION FRAlVlE.

Claude H. Ford, Birmingham, Ala., assignor to Harry H. Leiter, Warsaw, Ind.

Application July 22 1938, Serial No. 220,653

6 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in the structure of hyperextension frames for surgical treatment of spinal injuries.

It is an object of my invention toprovide an improved hyperextension frame that is adjustable to establish proper pressure at a position along the spine which holds the vertebrae in their natural relative positions without impingement of the spinal cord.

Another object of my invention is to provide a hyperextension frame having a body support web and means for adjusting the tension of the web to provide variations in the web surface from a taut comparatively hard surface to a substantially hammock-like surface, in accordance with the desires of the surgeon.

Another object of my invention is to provide a hyperextension frame so constructed and. arranged that bed pan service is easily rendered without disturing the patient.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of my invention is clearly shown and described.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a preferred em.- bodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a frame struc- 30 ture utilized in the preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken in the direction of Fig. 1.

With particular reference to the drawings, a base ID has sides H and I2, a foot end l3, and a head end 14. The sides II and I2 and the ends I3 and M are preferably made of angle strips rigidly secured together in rectangular form by welding, or other suitable means. A shaft l5, having threaded ends l6 and I1, extends through openings in the sides H and I2 near the foot end l3 of the base and provides a fulcrum support for the ends of a pair of resilient strips l8 and IS. The strips 18 and 19 are so proportioned in breadth and thickness that although they are 0 resilient and can be flexed in one direction, they are practically rigid with respect to forces tending to flex them in directions transverse to the normal flexure. The fulcrumed ends of the strips I8 and IQ are preferably bent around end portions of a spacer sleeve 20 and clamped therearound by a rivet 2|, or other suitable means. The spacer sleeve 20 is mounted on the shaft intermediate the sides II and I2 of the frame l0. Nuts 22 and 23, threaded onto the ends l6 and I1 60 of the shaft l5, and co-operating washers 24 Cir of the arrows and substantially on the line 4--4 and 25 hold the shaft l5 in position With respect to the frame Ill.

The resilient strips l8 and I9 extend substantially parallel to each other and have their extending ends rotatab'ly connected to a spacer s sleeve 26 by having those ends bent around end portions 21 and 28 of the spacer sleeve 23, which end portions 27 and 28 are preferably smaller in diameter. than the rest of the sleeve 23. The strips I8 and H] are secured around the end por- 3.0 tions 21 and 28 of the spacer sleeve 26 by rivets 29, or other suitable means. A shaft 33 extends through the spacer sleeve 26 and has. nuts 31 and 32 threaded onto the ends thereof, which, together with co-operating washers 33 and 33, #15 hold the shaft in place and hold the end of the strips l8 and Won the end portions 21 and 28 of the spacer sleeve 26. Substantially parallel bolts 35 and 36 comprise a link and each have one end secured to the spacer sleeve 23. 20 bolts 35 and 36 extend outwardly from the spacer sleeve 26 and are substantially perpendicular to the axes of the shaft 23 and spacer sleeve 25.. The bolts 35 and 36 extend through sleeves 3? and 38, respectively, that are rotatably secured to the sides H and I2 of the base lil near the head end l4 thereof by studs 39 and 45.. The studs 39 and 40 are mounted in bearing blocks 4| and 42 that are secured to the sides H and I2, respectively, and have threaded ends 33 and 13 44 that extend through the sides ll and i2. Nuts 45 and 46, threaded onto the ends 53 and 44 of the studs and co-operating washers 41 and 48 hold the studs 39 and 40 in position with respect to the sides H and I2 of the frame. The sleeves 31 and 38 preferably comprise split bearings having the halves thereof bolted to gether as at 49. Flanged hand nuts 55 and 5| are threaded onto the bolts 35 and 35 and are rotatably supported by the sleeves 31 and 38, respectively, so that manual operation of the hand nuts 50 and 5! adjusts the distance between the sleeve 26 and the head end I5 of the frame. This moves the head ends of the strips l8 and 19 toward or away from the head end it of the base, depending upon the direction of the rotation of the hand nuts 50 and 5|.

Screw jacks 52 and 53 are secured to brackets 54 and 55, which are, in turn, removably secured to the sides l l and I2 of the base by bolts such as 56, or other suitable means, which are easily removable. The jacks 52 and 53 support the midportionsof the strips l8 and I5, respectively. The bolts, such as 55, which secure the brackets 54 and 55 to the sides H and 12, are adapted to 5' be mounted in various pairs of spaced holes, such as 51 and 58, along the sides I! and i2, respectively, to accomplish movement of the position of the jacks 52 and 53 longitudinally of the sides II and I2. The position of the jacks 52 and 53, b

' foot end v30 with respect to the sides H and [2, controls the place of the maximum curvature of, or intermediate support for, the strips l8 and IS, in accordance with the requirements of the case.

The jacks 52 and 53 have base portions 59, screws 60 that extend into openings in the base portions and have integral heads. 6!, and manually operable adjusting nuts 62 that are threaded onto the screws 59' and supported by the base portions 59. The heads 6| preferably have integral flanges 63 adjacent the inner surfaces of the strips l8 and I9 to prevent turning of the screws 69, with respect to the base portions 59, and provide support for inward stresses on the strips I8 and I9. Adjustment of the jacks 52 and 53 by manual operation of the adjusting nuts 62 changes the curvature of the strips I 8 and I9.

A web 64, comprising a sheet of canvas, or other suitable material, has edge portions 65 and 65 doubled under and sewed, as at 57 and B8 to provide hems through'which the strips 58 and I9 extend to stretch the web and thereby provide a support for a patient, which has a curvature determined by the curvature of the strips I8 and I9. A portion 69 of the web is also doubled under and sewed, as at 10, to provide a hem through which the sleeve 29 extends to support the web at the l3 of the frame. Eyelets, such as H are provided in the web along the head end thereof. A lace 72, extending through the eyelets II and around the spacer sleeve 26 is utilized for adjustably supporting the web at the head end of the frame. By pulling the lace 12 taut, the web is pulled taut to provide a comparatively hard surface. By loosening the lace 12, the web is loosened to provide a more hammock-like surface, the adjustment of the web being selected by the surgeon.

An opening 13 is provided in the web 64 substantially midway between the strips I8 and I 9 and nearer to the foot end of the web than to V the head end thereof to facilitate the rendering of bed pan service without disturbing the patient. The opening is preferably narrow so as to minimize any tendency or possibility of bed sores or irritation resulting to the patient from-the edges of the opening. The opening 13 is provided with a cover 14 that is preferably sewed to the web along one edge of the opening, as at 15, and that is normally held in position overthe opening by snaps, such as 16, or other suitable means. By disengaging the snaps 16, the cover 14 drops down out of the way, as indicated by the dotted lines at Ma in Fig. 4. The opening 73 is preferably long enough to accommodate different sizes of patients and somewhat different longitudinal placement of different patients on the web 64.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that a sturdy hyperextension frame is provided that is not only adjustable to vary the curvature 'of the frame surface, but is also adjustable to vary thev position or place of maximum curvature and to vary the tautness or hardness of the body support Web to suit particular cases. Beside these features, a narrow opening is provided for bed pan service, which opening is made narrow so that the weight of the patient is almost entirely supported by the surface of the web without sufilcient pressure against the edges of the opening to cause bed sores or irritation at those edges.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modi- 'fications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of all changes within the and ad-.

justable longitudinally of thestrips, and a web Secured to the strips and supported thereby to provide a body support.

2. A hyperextension frame comprising, in combination, a base, a pair of substantially parallel resilient strips each having one end hinged to the base and having their other ends secured together, means for adjusting the said other ends toward and away from the base, screw jacks for supporting the strips intermediate the ends thereof, said jacks being supported by the base. and adjustable longitudinally of the strips, and a Web secured to the strips and supported thereby to provide a body support, said web having an opening therein intermediate the resilient strips.

3. A hyperextension frame comprising, in combination, a base,'a pair of separated and substantially parallel resilient strips extending longitudinally of the base and having their ends hingedly connected to the base, longitudinally and vertically adjustable supports for the strips intermediate the ends thereof, a web stretched between the resilient strips to provide a body support, and lacing at one end of the web for controlling the tension of the web.

4. A hyperextension frame comprising, in combination, a base comprehending sides, a head end and a foot end; substantially parallel resilient strips extending longitudinally of the sides of the base, said strips being separated by a spacer and hingedly secured to the base at the foot end thereof; a pair of screw jacks, each of which is mounted on one of the sides of the base and adjustable longitudinally thereof, said jacks supporting the strips intermediate the ends thereof; a pair of bolts connected to the strips near the head end of the base and providing means for controlling the distance between the strips and the head end of the base; and a web secured to the strips.

5. In a hyperextension frame, the combination comprising, a frame comprehending a pair of substantially parallel resilient side strips and a pair of substantially rigid ends, a web stretched over the frame, said web having a longitudinal elongated opening therein intermediate the resilient sides and nearer to one end than the other,

and a flap and co-operating fastening means for CLAUDE H. FORD. 

